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Life Extension: The Modern Anti-Aging Movement – Are We Standing on the Threshold of Immortality?

LifeDecember 9, 2017, by hjlouychdddComments Off on Life Extension: The Modern Anti-Aging Movement – Are We Standing on the Threshold of Immortality?6

A Long Way From a Drop of Lanoline

Why is skin care the point of interest of sturdiness research? I guess a mobile is a mobile, and if you could crack the code for one human cellular, it is only a rely of time to fixing the puzzle with specific types of cell – and skin is without doubt the maximum seen cells every people have. And it’s our faces in particular we regularly decide ourselves and others via, and we’re in turn quick scrutinized, and frequently evaluations reached in a fraction of a 2d. Our faces often display the maximum seen signs of getting old, and for plenty in modern society age is via nature “awful” and younger or searching younger is the ideal. That is why billions and billions of greenbacks every yr are poured by means of consumers into all types of treatments to limit wrinkles, to push back the outcomes of gravity, and to turn returned the fingers of time. And with that a good deal money to be spent by means of purchasers, there are many producers keen to discover the subsequent step in arresting Father Time – and at least detaining him till the subsequent stagecoach arrives, where with any luck he may be advocated to move on earlier than too much harm may be finished.

Some time ago a chum gave me a easy analogy that puts this entire issue in angle. The science might not win a Nobel Prize, however it gave me the necessary ah-ha second.

The double helix of the DNA strand – our maximum primary basis for lifestyles – is held together at every give up by means of matters that act within the equal manner as the difficult plastic bits at the end of shoelaces do – preventing the DNA from unraveling, and the man or woman chromosomes scattering across the ground like dropping a string of pearls down a marble staircase. These matters are known as telomeres.

Somewhere programmed into these tiny telomeres is the complete foundation to how lengthy the DNA stays intact – and via inference these are the keys to the period of life of the organism. Somewhere written into the telomere is a brilliant musical score however like all musical rankings it has a double bar someplace to indicate the give up; but is it to be a minuet or a Wagnerian epic? But positive enough, whilst the time comes, and the telomeres blow the entire time whistle, the DNA strand will get to the bottom of and die – and the circle of lifestyles starts once more. Telomeres govern how often our pores and skin cells are replaced; why a doggy and a baby born at the equal date may additionally age precisely the identical chronologically, however the puppy has become a geriatric before the child reaches puberty.

Telomeres, my friend explained, on occasion pass at the Fritz (that must have a very particular clinical meaning). One of the approaches this happens is they’ll forget their programming to launch and get to the bottom of, and they simply grasp on, allowing the cells for this reason affected to multiply again and again with out demise. In truth, whilst this occurs regularly they end up very difficult to kill and to all intents and functions as soon as the telomeres act on this manner, the cell – and people it propagates – are effectively immortal.

This circumstance has a call which we all realize. Cancer.

But, what if we have been in a position in a few manner to steer the telomeres inside a most cancers to act typically – would that now not be the “magic bullet” therapy for most cancers? And the other facet to that equation – if the telomeres in wholesome cells will be persuaded to act as they do in a cancer – then is this the recipe for a healthful mobile that does not die? Does the cure for cancer and immortality hold on just this one thread?

Whatever your perspectives can be, the reality is that some of the arena’s greatest research scientists are operating on that genuine query and some would say it’s far handiest a count of a decade or two before that is neither conjecture nor technology fiction, but a truth to face up to. The adjustments that would take place in society even though existence expectancy had been to take a bounce ahead by using say 10 or 20 years are massive, but we ought to all be thinking that that is a wonderful possibility.

From the dab of lanoline an era in the past to what I realize hold in my hand as an anti getting older skin care treatment is extra than only a revolution – and I haven’t any doubt in some years I could be saying this cream will now not simply gradual the getting older process and reduce the seen symptoms of ageing, making your face seem younger – however, it’s going to certainly be more youthful.

But earlier than that, permit’s appearance returned to how this entire engagement with lifestyles extension and anti-growing older began. Mankind has usually striven for longevity and mused approximately immortality – but the beyond 50 years has seen a few dramatic steps in reality toward this purpose.

Genesis

The thought of extending life has been in the thoughts of mankind for millennia. References to the look for ways to lengthen life can be located as ways again because of the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh changed into apparently the fifth king of the kingdom of Uruk, the modern-day Iraq, around 2500 BC. According to the Sumerian listing of kings, he reigned for 126 years. The Torah or Old Testament statistics Methuselah as dwelling over 900 years, with lifestyles spans measured in centuries seemingly commonplace earlier than the time of Noah.

Throughout the development of scientific concept from the Reformation onwards, scholars have implemented themselves to solving this riddle and those endeavors keep today on the very leading fringe of clinical development.

Unraveling Secrets

As the secrets of our lifestyles are unraveled in ever extra minute element, we’re starting to apprehend what it is that makes us grow from tiny toddlers into adults. We now know, for example, that cellular functions slow down because the body a while and that manufacturing of sure materials required with the aid of the frame to regenerate decrease or give up completely.

Skin, for instance, wishes materials to maintain energy and firmness.
The production of those materials specifically collagen (power, tightness) and elastin (flexibility) decreases with age. The decreases in production collectively with other factors that encompass the risk of unfastened radicals make the pores and skin age and turn out to be wrinkly. Free radicals are essentially incomplete oxygen molecules inflicting destructive chain reactions within cells.

The equal form of factor takes place in every cell, every tissue and organ around the human frame. For example, people broaden frown strains, crow’s toes and wrinkles. Nutrients are not absorbed without problems and crucial cellular functions, hormones and other materials are produced at reduced fees resulting in the body getting old.

A Brief History of the Life Extension Movement

Science has been looking for approaches to slow down this system for hundreds of years. The forming of existence extension moves, however, did not without a doubt start till round 1970.

â¢ In this yr, Denham Harman, the originator of the so-called ‘unfastened radical theory of growing old’, determined that an company dedicated to the research and facts sharing among scientists operating in biogerontology (the sphere of technological know-how worried with the biological elements concerned in the growing older method) turned into needed. As a result, the American Aging Association changed into formed.

â¢ In 1976, two futurists, Philip Gordon and Joel Kurtzman wrote a book on the studies into extending the human lifespan. This famous extent was titled ‘No More Dying. The Conquest Of Aging And The Extension Of Human Life’.

â¢ Kurtzman became then invited to speak at Florida’s House Select Committee (HSC) of Aging, which was chaired by way of Claude Pepper, an American flesh presser and spokesman for the aged. The intention of this speak turned into to discuss the effect on Social Security by lifestyles extension.

â¢ In 1980, Saul Kent, a distinguished activist inside the area of lifestyles extension, published the e-book ‘The Life Extension Revolution’ and based the nutraceutical (from ‘nutrition’ and ‘pharmaceutical’, in different words, a nutrition supplement) firm referred to as ‘The Life Extension Foundation’.

This basis is a non-income making enterprise selling dietary supplements and publishing the periodical ‘Life Extension Magazine’. Kent become later concerned in work referring to cryogenics. He turned into jailed in the path of this paintings over a dispute at one point, even though expenses were brought to a later stage.

â¢ In 1982, American fitness author and lifestyles extension suggest Sandy Shaw and her co-creator, Durk Pearson, popularized the time period ‘life extension’ even similarly with the bestseller ‘Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach’.

â¢ Roy Walford, a gerontologist and lifestyles-extensionist, published ‘Maximum Lifespan’, another famous book on the subject. He and Richard Weindruch, his pupil, followed this up in 1988 with their precis on the research they had performed into the potential to lengthen the lifestyles of rodents thru calorie restrict. The title of this ebook is ‘The Retardation of Aging and Disease by using Dietary Restriction’.

Although this capability to increase lifestyles with calorie limit had been known for the reason that 1930’s, while Gerontologist, biochemist and nutritionist Clive McCay did a few research into the challenge, it was the work of Walford and Weinbruch that gave solid clinical grounding to the McCay’s findings.

Walford’s medical work became driven by a private hobby in life extension. He practiced calorie restrict as a part of his very own lifestyles and subsequently died at the age of 80. The motive of his dying become amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a innovative motor neuron disorder.

â¢ A4M, the ‘American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine’ became based in 1992 to create a clinical uniqueness for anti growing old that turned into noticeably become independent from geriatrics. This allowed scientists and physicians interested in this unique field of technological know-how to hold meetings and discuss the present day tendencies.

â¢ The sci.Lifestyles-extension, a Usenet group, became created via California-born creator, philosopher and translator Brian M. Delaney. This represented an crucial improvement inside the movement of lifestyles extension. It made it possible, for instance, for the CR (Calorie Restriction) Society to be created.

â¢ A greater latest improvement is the suggestion of Dr A. De Grey, a biogerontologist at Cambridge University. This thought recommended that harm to cells, macromolecules, organs and tissues may be repaired with the help of advanced biotechnology. This is clear in hair recovery products, as an example.

More than Books

Although it’d seem that maximum of the work revolving around lifestyles extension has been accomplished totally by using writing books or founding societies or organizations of some kind or some other, the reality is that these books had been written in reaction to or based on very unique, specific medical studies that have yielded positive outcomes.

They are not the works of hopeful minds, however the works of devoted scientists who have spent their lives running on coming across records approximately growing older and trying to find methods to gradual down, or maybe reverse the system.

Many breakthroughs had been made, and in lots of methods, we are already able to make bigger lives to a sure extent. The average lifespan of a person is already a ways greater than it was due to medical, pharmaceutical and dietary advances introduced approximately via research and development.

The work continues, and scientists around the arena are continually engaging in research, evaluating effects, discussing options and making advances on our behalf.

Driving Forces Behind the Development of the Life Extension Movement

What factors are riding this motion into ever greater efforts to find answers to the extension of Life? The answer to this question in reality consists of an entire range of things.

Expectations Have Risen

As the ‘infant boomer’ era (born among 1946-1964) enters retirement age, expectancies of this group are dramatically different from the ones of the previous generations. They have more expectancies and wants to experience their lifestyles as pensioners to the fullest and for as long as is viable. This expectation covers no longer best period of existence, but first-class of existence as properly and this isn’t a passive request however an lively and strident call for in many cases.

Pharmacology

Progress in pharmacology has led to a big choice of medicine that permit humans to live longer and fuller lives being evolved over the past two decades or so. The work is still very lots in progress and many more pills are being developed every day.

One of the conventional examples of a drug elevating the high-quality of existence for older individuals are erectile dysfunction remedies – substantially Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. These pills have dramatically decreased the wide variety of fatalities or extreme damage as a consequence of aged guys rolling out of bed, in addition to a number of extra qualitative benefits.

Advances in Genetics

Some of the modern-day clinical research and next advances made in biotechnology and genetics are presenting some wish that it is able to be viable to hold returned a number of the fundamental causes of ageing.

As we mentioned formerly, chromosomes containing DNA strings are essentially capped with a binding substance called telomeres. In impact, the telomeres are ate up all through cellular department and over the years, they grow to be shorter and shorter.

This became first discovered by way of a scientist known as Leonard Hayflick, and the manner of constrained mobile division was subsequently named the Hayflick Limit. Advocates of existence extension work on the thought that lengthening the telomeres through tablets or gene therapy may also in the end expand the Hayflick Limit and thereby idiot the cells, and as such the frame, into ‘wondering’ it is more youthful than it absolutely is.

Developments in Precision Manufacture

Advances made in the fields of nanotechnology, miniaturization, PC chips and robotics additionally offer hope for potentially life extending answers.

In the 1970’s, a popular TV series starred Lee Majors because the ‘Six Million Dollar Man’? Science fiction then. Today, it’s far technological know-how fact. Millions of humans now walk thru lifestyles with artificial ankle, knee and hip joints and wholesome ft. A technology in the past, mass manufacturing of this type of generation changed into a distant dream.

The identical applies to many individuals with synthetic limbs. Artificial legs was once crude wood contraptions that were simply capable of hold a person balanced. Today’s synthetic limbs are almost absolutely useful.

The Blessings of Medical Progress

Who could have idea even 50 years in the past that it’d turn out to be possible to bypass a coronary artery, or even update a heart completely? Yet there are hundreds of thousands, if not tens of millions of individuals playing their lives after having this sort of surgical procedure – few of whom would be alive just 1/2 a century ago.

Millions of humans now not must put on glasses, because of the availability of laser surgical treatment. This, too, was technology fiction only some years ago. Today, it’s miles advertised subsequent to shampoo in magazines and on TV.

In other phrases, technology is shifting swiftly toward no longer most effective extending life, however making the first-class of these greater years better as well.

Is it Science, Science Fiction or Lunacy?

What should the average individual trust? This query is sort of as hard to answer as finding solutions to extended lifestyles. Even amongst scientists, reviews are divided. Some do believe that extending the quality of life is as possible as extending existence in widespread.

Others brush off the thought as un-medical nonsense. This is frequently definitely based on the fear of whatever ‘new’ annoying the repute quo of mounted limits. Fortunately, real scientists do maintain on looking, because if each unmarried scientist had decided that some of the advancements already in scientific, pharmaceutical and technological fields could not be feasible, we would all nonetheless be demise at 30.

So in which does that leave us?

There is not any doubt what-so-ever that there are numerous charlatans available seeking to make a quick dollar out of humans’s preference to keep their teenagers. Even these days, many products being bought of their tens of millions are essentially non-effective – regularly given fantastic names and have the most bewildering elements to cause them to look clinical to purchasers and justify their fee.

But the records are at the same time as many improvements are being made and studies factors to the opportunity of ultimately finding the important thing to retaining adolescents for longer, the scientific community remains warning the public that a lot of the goods being offered these days are unreliable to say the least.

â¢ Although meals supplements might also assist in preserving a frame more healthy – some thing which can often be achieved through clearly adopting a more fit lifestyles style and food regimen – there may be as but no express and plain proof that they slow down growing older as such.

â¢ The same goes for plenty hormone treatments. Although they’ll have a quick term effect of some kind, it is not but scientifically proven that they may honestly paintings in the long run. The worry that it can now not paintings is primarily based on the truth that taking hormones, a very good example is the hormonal zits treatment, will in the end sincerely gradual down the frame’s personal manufacturing of these hormones.

In addition, many remedies might also have ability (and but unknown) facet results ultimately that could be dangerous to the person’s health. This includes the fears that such hormone remedies may want to boom the hazard of cancer, diabetes and other principal ailments.

â¢ Other ideas, just like the calorie restriction technique, are working for rodents. In truth, research performed with rats on 30 to 50 per cent confined diets have shown to nearly double the lifestyles span of rats.

Similar research performed on primates have additionally proven tendency to increase lifestyles to a certain quantity and prevent a listing of age related ailments. There are as yet no research on humans, although a few are truly living on calorie restrained diets. Whether this could extend their lives, however, is a query of getting to wait and see.

The theory is that by means of lowering calorie consumption, the metabolism of the body is bogged down, thereby slowing the growing old manner as well. Nutritionists say there may be a sure quantity of calories a frame of a certain length and weight needs to should hold fitness. Reducing this quantity with the aid of up to 50 in step with cent is hardly a very good idea in the long time.

Time will inform, as they are saying, but how will anybody have the ability to inform the difference? If a person lives to the age of 80, is this because they’re in this weight loss program or could they have got lived to this age anyway?

Where Will This Lead?

Many believe there is sensible wish and expectation of creating massive strides inside the place of durability within the subsequent a long time. This group commonly believes the answer will in the end lie within genetics and biotechnology. It is too early to make particular predictions, but the studies up to now shows promise and, as cited earlier, a number of the outcomes of this studies are already being used in sure remedies to improve sufferers’ lives.

At gift, standard getting old is hard to sluggish down, to say the least. Some merchandise imply they’ll help in retaining ordinary fitness/sturdiness, however the region we’re seeing the first industrial products being developed is in the region of pores and skin care and given the dimensions of this market, it is likely that this could continue to be the climate-vane of longevity treatments.

Science or Snake Oil?

It could be tough to inform these two apart for decades. Charlatans are possibly to about, due to the fact it’s far tough to disprove many theories effortlessly. Equally difficult might be high quality evidence from people with an moral angle at the trail of a real leap forward, as merchandise based on legitimate studies and the use of generation or elements so one can actually have an effect not often promise in a single day outcomes. This is something that all of us looking to locate advanced youthful seems, etc, will ought to undergo in thoughts. None of those merchandise can carry out miracles. Even the fine of them will take time and normal use with a purpose to gain the preferred impact.

The bottom line is that in which we stand now, we may be sure there are a few things that are ineffective or maybe harmful; there are a few that display a few promise and there are a few which are starting to go the road of being capable of reveal consequences – albeit modestly at this factor.

In the intervening time, it is smart to investigate products very carefully and to refuse to be baffled by way of weird and outstanding sounding ingredients or exceptional sounding promises of instant youngsters. Regeneration will take time – let’s face it, it has taken a life-time to get so far, turning again the clock can never be possible over night time.

Skin Care and the Life Extension Movement

One might also nicely ask just what all this, and mainly the life extension motion as such, ought to possibly ought to do with skin care, fitness and beauty products. The fact is, a whole lot of the research into life extension is resulting in new processes to pores and skin care as a type of spinoff.

A greater understanding of how genetics and mobile techniques affect the getting old and situation of pores and skin lets in those research and development groups to research distinctive compounds, their compatibility with human cells and genetic make up.

Many compounds observed in nature are not just compatible with human skin however in truth the pores and skin cells surely have herbal receptors for those compounds. Because lifestyles extension research has located those receptors, pores and skin care builders can now use this knowledge and create the formulae for his or her merchandise to offer maximum effect.

Another skin care ‘by-product’ of life extension studies is using nanotechnology. The use of nanotechnology, or, to be greater precise, nanoparticles, has had a large effect on the way vitamins and different additives of pores and skin care merchandise are being delivered to the pores and skin cells. In a few ways, nanotechnology has already revolutionized skin care. It is now viable to apply active components previously tough to successfully deliver to the pores and skin, as well as making vintage, established ingredients even extra effective. Some ingredients used in cosmetics for hundreds, if not lots of years via positive cultures can now be even greater correctly used to improve pores and skin situation and hold a healthful, youthful appearance.

Even the moisturizing impact of skin care products may be stepped forward with nanotechnology. For this impact, so-referred to as nanosomes are used. Nanosomes are small, pocket-like debris that soften or fall apart on pores and skin touch. By doing this, the moisturising effect is elevated, helping the skin quicker and greater effectively.

Nanotechnology plays a key component not best in slowing the getting older of skin but is thought to actively help in repairing and restoration skin cells and tissue.

Another breakthrough in life extension research that is beginning to make itself felt in pores and skin care merchandise is the studies into stem cells. Stem cells are elements of all life, plant, animal and human. Stem cells have houses different cells do not have. These properties are the potential to change into any kind of cell type and the capability to divide nearly indefinitely. The use of plant stem cellular extracts in pores and skin care is probably to become one of the next ‘massive matters’ inside the enterprise. And put together for the talk whilst human stem cells are proposed as a part of an anti-ageing skin care regime, as will inevitably arise!

One thing we may be certain of, is that technology will keep to look for solutions to the question of life extension, and commercial enterprise will drive the commercialization of discoveries. But whether or not these lead us to a utopian destiny or probably a minefield of strife as we debate who will use and who will advantage from these new godlike powers. In the meantime, at a sensible level inside the skincare, fitness and beauty industry we stay hopeful and expectant we are able to see the emergence of products that not handiest promise consequences, but produce them.

David Christensen is a veteran of Asia Pacific commercial enterprise, presently dwelling in Bangkok, Thailand and heading up the commercial enterprise he turned into a co-founder of, Royal Siam Natural Health & Beauty – who can be placed at and the facts helping website online at. Royal Siam changed into established after cautious planning in early 2011, spending 2011 targeting building the important enterprise infrastructure and concentrating on the domestic Thai market. Early in 2012 Royal Siam released its international website and online shop, and in April 2012 publicly declared the ambition to be the various world’s top 20 top class health and beauty manufacturers by way of the year 2020. Royal Siam is a completely unique business, working within the premium skin care, anti getting older, and related fields. At its center, one assignment is to commercialize and produce to a international marketplace the vast wealth of information about the restoration and beneficial residences of Thai and South East Asian plant life – a understanding base carefully constructed up over the last thousand years. At the equal time, the task is to convey to marketplace the very ultra-modern in scientific advances within the vicinity of anti ageing… Resulting in the specific function of getting a Thai heritage and imparting the first-class of nature, subculture, and technology.

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